Wax distributor for shuffleboard



y 27, 1965 w. c. WILT, sR.. ETAL 3,197,079

WAX DISTRIBUTOR FOR SHUFFLEBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1965 IN V EN TORS W/LMER C. W/LTSR.

BY Zmf C. MLT; JR.

y 7, 1965 w. c. WILT, sR., ETAL 3,197,079

WAX DISTRIBUTOR FOR SHUFFLEBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed .June 19 1963 j a 5 M mm United States Patent 3,197,979- W'AX DESTRIBUTOR FOR SHUFFLEBGARD Wilmer C. Wilt, Sn, Red Lion, and Wilmer C. Wilt, (in, Seven Valleys, Pa., assignors to Wilt 3, Incorporated, Red Lion, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 19, 1963, Ser. No. 239,128

6 Claims. (Cl. 222-177) This invention relates to a distributor for powdered wax and, more particularly, toa Wax distributor especially designed to spread powdered wax substantially evenly across and along a shufileboard, particularly of the tabletype having gutters extending along opposite sides thereof.

Powdered wax has been used for a long period of time on shufiieboards to facilitate the sliding of the discs therealong incident to playing the game. Heretofore, powdered wax has been sold in cans either provided with a perforated shaker end or one end thereof capable of having perforations readily formed therein so as to facilitate shaking powdered wax from the can or other type of container. Even when skill is exercised in distributing such wax, it is difiicult to distribute the wax evenly by such shaking of containers thereof.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a hopper-like distributor having discharge openmg means in the bottom thereof, the hopper preferably being V-shaped in cross-section and also being provided with a substantially cylindrical, bristled brush extending longitudinally along the discharge opening means in the bottom of the hopper and rotatable therein to evenly distribute powdered wax contained within the hopper.

Another object of the invention is to use a rotatable bristled brush of the type which serves effectively as a closure for the discharge opening means in the bottom of the hopper to prevent unintentional discharge of any appreciable amount of powdered wax, yet when the bristled brush is rotated, it effectively agitates powdered wax in the hopper and evenly distributes the same through the discharge opening means as the distributor is moved longitudinally along a shufileboard.

A further object of the invention is to provide a distributor of the type referred to with wheels engageable with the playing surface of a shulileboard, adjacent opposite edges thereof, and the ends of the hopper preferably depend downwardly below said wheels so as to form guide means engageable respectively with the opposite side surfaces of the shuffieboard so as to insure even distribution of the wax transversely across the board from the hopper.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bristled brush, preferably of the twisted Wire type, and provide suitable bearings for the ends and, if desired, an intermediate portion of the brush to prevent undue flexing thereof away from the normal straight axis about which the brush is intended to rotate with respect to the discharge opening means. 7

Still a further object of the invention is to provide several different types of discharge opening means, including a slot, a row of perforations, and a slot provided with a flange affording flicking action of the bristles of the brush when rotated thereby, said various embodiments each having different attributes and advantages, depending upon the type of wax distribution which is desired. 7

Details Of the foregoing obiects and of the invention, as Well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a fragmentary end portion of a conventional shufiieboard of the table-type upon which a wax distributor embodying the principles of the present invention is operatively positioned.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the wax distributor illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the wax distributor shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and illustrated in position relative to fragmentarily illustrated portions of a shufileboard which are shown in phantom.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional elevation of one end of the wax distributor shown in the preceding figures, on a larger scale than used therein, and showing details of the brush-supporting and rotating means positioned relative to a fragmentarily illustrated portion of a shuffieboard, shown in phantom.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the wax distributor shown in FIG. 4, as seen on the line 55 of said figure.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section, on a still larger scale than used in FIG. 4 and illustrating additional details of the brush bearings and rotating wheel arrangements.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary intermediate bearing for the brush shown partially supported by a fragment-arily illustrated portion of part of the hopper.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional elevation through an intermediate portion of the wax distributor shown in the preceding figures and illustrating in details the handle thereof, the cover which is illustrated in both closed and open positions, and one embodiment of discharge opening means in the bottom of the hopper.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through an intermediate portion of the lower part of the hopper and illustrating another embodiment of discharge, opening means. a

FIG. 10 is a View similar to FIG. 9 and illustrating a still further embodiment of discharge opening means, this embodiment embodying a flicking flange shown being engaged by the rotatable brush.

Referring to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, a fragmentary end portion of an exemplary shufileboard 10 is illustrated, the same having a playing surface 12 along the opposite edges of which gutters 14, extend. The gutters are defined along one side by vertical surfaces 16 which are of interest relative to the operation of the wax distributor 18 comprising the present invention.

The distributor 18'essentially comprises a V-shaped hopper 29, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 8, the same comprising front and rear walls which slope downwardly and toward each other, the apex of the hopper being lowermost and, in one embodiment of the invention, having discharge opening means comprising an elongated slot 22 which is shown specifically in FIGS. 5 and 8. j

The hopper 20 is slightly longer than the width of the playing surface 12 of the shuflleboard and the opposite ends 2 and 2-6 preferably extend a limited amount below the bottom of the hopper 26), as best can be seen in FIG. 3, said depending bottom portions comprising guides 28 which are freely slidably engageable with the vertical surfaces 16 respectively defining the inner walls of the gutters 14 of the shufl leboard. Further, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, the horizontal length of the depending guide means 28' is appreciable and the opposite ends thereof are capable of engaging the bottom surfaces of the gutters 14 if undue tilting of the hopper 20 occurs, thereby preventing any substantial upsetting of the hopper either during operation or otherwise when in engagement with the shuflleboard 10.

To facilitate the operation of the distributor 18, an appropriate manually-engageable handle 3% i provided, the same preferably being intermediately of the ends of the hopper 2t} and supported by a U-shaped bail or frame 32, the ears 34 of which are secured to the opposite ends 24 and 26 of the hopper. In addition, in the preferred construction of the hopper, a cover 36 is provided which is connected by suitable hinges 38 to the rear wallof the hopper 20, suitable fastening means such as a snap I catch 40 being employed to releasably secure the cover in closed position across the top of the hopper 20.

Rotatably mounted within the lower portion of the hopper 20 adjacent the discharge opening means 22 is a rotatable agitator or distributor which is illustrated to be a cylindrical brush 42. Suchagitator, for example, conveniently and inexpensively may be of the twisted wire type and the pitch of-the twist of the brush preferably is short so as to have a relatively full complement of bristles. Preferably, the wires 44 are of reasonably heavy gauge and stiff and the bristles may be of suitable metal or non-metallic material. If desired, the distributor may be a rotatable member having longitudinal flexible blades of rubber or flexible plastic. The brush 42 extends between the ends 24 and 26 of hopper 20 having bearing holes 46 therein for rotatable bushings 48 within which the opposite ends of the wires of brush 42 are received and secured by appropriate pins 50, one being shown in FIG. 6.

Inasmuch as a conventional shufiieboard is substantially twenty inches'wide, whereby the hopper 20 is of comparable length, one. or more intermediate bearings 52 may be used which are supported by a suitable, sheet-like plate 54' having flanges 56 extending along'the angularly related opposite edges thereof so as to be complementary to the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls of the hopper 20 and suitably be secured thereto, by rivets, bolts, spot welding or the like.

Also fric-tionally or otherwise secured to the bushings 48 are preferably rubber disc-like wheels 58, spacing Washers 60, see-FIG. 6, preferably being disposed adjacent opposite sides of the wheels 58 to facilitate free rotation of the wheels with respect to the ends 24 and 26 of the hopper. From FIG. 3, it also will be seen that the opposite ends of the lower portions of the hopper 20 are provided with matches 62 within which the wheels 58 are disposed at opposite ends of the hopper 20. Preferably, the edges of the notches 62 are disposed close to the periphery and inner faces of the wheels 58 so as to permit minimum leakage of powdered Wax therebetween;

It will be understood that, during operation of the distributor 18, the hopper 20 will be filled, preferably substantially evenly across the same, with a desired amount of powdered wax. When the distributor is placed upon the shufiieboard substantially as illustrated in exemplary manner in FIG. 1, and the distributor is moved along the board with the wheels 58 in engagement with the opposite edges of the playing surface 12 of the shufieboard, said wheels will frictionally engage such playing surface and rotate the bristled brush 42 in suchmanner as to agitate the powdered wax within the hopper and cause substantially even distribution thereof through the discharge opening means in the bottom of the hopper 20. In FIGS; 5 and 8, the specifically illustrated discharge opening means is a longitudinal slot 22 but wax will only pass through such slot when the brush is rotated due primarily to the substantially continuous surface'of bristle ends which will prevent leakage of wax therethrough, except when the brush is being rotated. 7

Another embodiment of discharge opening means is illustrated in FIG. 9, the same comprising a plurality of rows of holes 64, either staggered or in regular rows andof suitable diameter to permit the distribution of a desired amount of wax therethrough when the brush 42 is rotated. Particularly if the holes 64 are of relatively small diameter, alesser amount of wax will be distributed by the embodiment shownin FIG. 9 than that in FIGS. 5 and 8 employing a continuous, open slot 22.-

Referring to FIG. 10, still another embodiment of 4. wax discharge means is illustrated in the bottom of th hopper 20, the same comprising a continuous slot 66 but the lower edge of the front wall of the hopper is bent around to provide an upwardly extending flange 68 against which the bristles of the brush 42 flick as the brush revolves in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 10. This will positively insure even distribution of the powdered wax due to the flicking action of the bristles, yet the bristles will effectively cover the continuous slot 66 when the distributor is idle so that no appreciable, unintentional discharge of wax will occur under such circumstances.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple and eifective means for distributing a powdered wax upon any suitable surface and particularly the playing surface of a shuflieboard, whereby not only is an even distribution of wax achieved but no waste occurs from the wax being distributed too thickly or in the gutters of the shuffieboard. In addition, a number of dilferent embodiments of discharge opening means are provided in the bottom of the wax hopper to afford a variety of possible types of distribution of wax in accordance with desires or requirements.

The various components of the distributor may be formed from any suitable type of sheet material, either metal, plywood, pressboard, or plastic and the various elements are connected together by appropriate means commonly utilized for such purposes with these types of material.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to'the preicse details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

-We claim:

1. A distributor for spreading granular material evenly over a surface such as a shufileboard and comprising in combination, an elongated hopper substantially V-shaped in cross-section and the apex thereof being lowermost to form a bottom, said bottom having discharge opening means extending longitudinally thereof, an elongated bristled brush extending along and rotatably supported within the lower portion of said hopper adjacent said opening means and serving substantially as closure means therefor, and supporting wheels connected to the opposite ends of said brush means and projecting below the lowermost portion of said hopper for engagement with a surface of the aforesaid type and operable to revolve said brush as said hopper is movedalong such surface to receive an even distribution of powdered wax from said hopper, said brush also serving to loosen wax in said hopper and insure an even discharge of wax through said discharge opening means.

2. The distributor set forth in claim 1 further characterized by the lower portions of the opposite ends of said hopper extending below said discharge opening means adjacent and exteriorly of said supporting wheels and serving as guides for said hopper during movement thereof.

3. The distributor set forth in-claim 2 further char.- acterized by said extending portions of said ends of said hopper depending below said wheels and being substantially parallel to the top of said hopper, whereby said depending portions of the ends of said hopper are engageable with the sides of a raised table-type shuflieboard of a width to be received between said depending portions of said ends.

4-. The distributor set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said brush being a.twisted wire type and said distributor also having bushings fixed to the opposite ends of said brush and theends of the hopper having bearings therein to rotatably receive said bushing.

to rotatably support the ends of said brush.

5. The distributor set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said discharge opening means comprising a slot extending longitudinally of the lower portion of said hopper scross which said brush extends to prevent any appreciable unintentional discharge of wax therethrough, and a rib projecting upward from one edge of said slot and into said hopper for engagement by the bristles of said brush as it rotates and also facilitate the function of the brush closing said slot when the brush is not rotating, the rib being arranged on the leading edge of said slot in the direction of movement of said hopper, whereby the engagement of the bristles with said rib will cause the bristles to flick thereover and insure positive discharge of wax particles from said brash as it revolves.

6. The distributor set forth in claim 4 further including a sheet-like member extending between the front and 6 rear walls of the'hopper intermediately of the ends thereof and having bearing means threin rotatably receiving said brush intermediately of the ends thereof to prevent flexing of the same appreciably out of it axial alignment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 22,349 12/5 8 Clawson 2224 10 1,639,23 8 8/27 Tarrant. 2,5 30,406 11/50 Singletary 222406 X EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner. 

1. A DISTRIBUTOR FOR SPREADING GRANULAR MATERIAL EVENLY OVER A SURFACE SUCH AS A SHUTTLEBOARD AND COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED HOPPER SUBSTANTIALLY V-SHAPED IN CROSS-SECTION AND THE APEX THEREOF BEING LOWERMOST TO FORM A BOTTOM, SAID BOTTOM HAVING DISCHARGE OPENING MEANS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, AN ELONGATED BRISTLED BRUSH EXTENDING ALONG AND ROTATABLY SUPPORTED WITHIN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID HOPPER ADJACENT SAID OPENING MEANS AND SERVING SUBSTANTIALLY AS CLOSURE MEANS THEREFOR, AND SUPPORTING WHEELS CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BRUSH MEANS AND PROJECTING BELOW THE LOWERMOST PORTIONS OF SAID HOPPER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A SURFACE OF THE AFORESAID TYPE AND OPERABLE TO REVOLVE SAID BRUSH AS SAID HOPPER IS MOVED ALONG SUCH SURFACE TO RECEIVE AN EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF POWDERED WAX FROM SAID HOPPER, SAID BRUSH ALSO SERVING TO LOOSEN WAX IN SAID HOPPER AND INSURE AN EVEN DISCHARGE OF WAX THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE OPENING MEANS. 